Ghost Town
by edwardcullenaddicts
Summary: When Suze and Jesse fly to New York to visit Gina, some unexpected things start happening. Like angry ghost ex-girl friends, best friend's brothers hitting on you, jealous boyfriends, a possible murderous alli, and new surprises are in store.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- Beginnings**

_Everyone living in ghost town  
Everyone buried in waste land  
We don't want to  
We don't have to be like that  
Living in ghost town  
All the boys shout it out loud now  
All the girls scream it out louder  
We don't want to  
We don't have to live like that___

Shiny Toy Guns- Ghost Town

Suze's POV

"Jesse?" I called from upstairs as I looked around for my purse. It held all of my money that I saved up for this occasion. Yes, Suze Simon saved up money for something other than shopping. "Jesse, is that you?" I asked again as I pulled my purse out from behind my pillow. I absently checked if my money was still there. Everything was in order.

"I'm here," Jesse said as his face suddenly appeared as he opened my door. "Knock, knock," he added as he walked towards me. He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him until our lips met. We stood there for a long moment as I felt my breathing patterns getting all messed up like his. When he pulled away from me, I noticed what he was wearing.

"Um, Jesse?" I said as I took a double-take over his body. "You do realize we're getting on a plane… to New York… in the winter…right?" I asked hesitantly. He was dressed in knee length jeans with a t-shirt that I picked out for him and a light jacket thrown over his arm.

I, on the other hand, wore a long sleeved top with jeans, and a heavy snow jacket perched on top of my luggage, prepared to shelter me from the cold winds when we got there. "Soy preparado que usted sabe," he murmered into my hair as he held me close to him.

I never knew what he was saying. Thankfully, I transferred from French to Spanish class successfully, so I was on my way there. But for the mean time, only a simple "Que" would suffice. "I'm more prepared than you know," he translated for me. "Now are you ready? Traffic is going to be heavy and we can't miss our flight," he said as he looked at his watch impatiently.

When I last talked to Gina—which was actually a week ago—we decided that I needed to see some city lights again. So while her mom talked to my mom about letting me skip off to New York with Jesse, I slyly snuck into my funds and dug out enough money to let me spend my winter vacation in New York with Jesse in peace. Yeah. I had enough to get me two flights and food costs for two weeks. Gina was letting us crash at her place, so no hotel was needed…much to my dismay.

But Jesse wasn't too thrilled on the idea for me paying for him, due to his chivalry. So, we made a deal. He said that he gets to surprise me while we're there. Yay. But, I used to live in New York, so not much can surprise me while I'm there.

"Almost," I said as I grabbed a few things off of my bed and stuffed them into my suitcase. When I finally zipped it up, Jesse added my luggage pile to his-- and he carried them all down without complaint-- as we walked down the stairs together.

My mom stood by the door with tears in her eyes as Andy held her, smiling up at us. Sleepy was working, but Dopey was there with a glass that was filled with an unknown substance and Doc was there, eagerly looking at me.

"Now you kids have fun now," my mom said through tears. "And be careful, please," she added as she hugged me.

"Bye, Suze," Doc and Andy said as they each gave me a light hug. I smiled at them all as Jesse and I walked through the front door. We stepped into his new car—Toyota Camry—and stored everything in the truck. Working at the historical center did have its quirks. The staff was sufficiently surprised when female attendance started to sky rocket when Jesse was on duty, so they gave him a raise. I'm still not too thrilled about that. But he got a new car out of it, so I stifled my complaints.

"Finally," I said eagerly as I settled myself into the passenger seat. I felt oddly relieved to be away from my family and on my own with Jesse. It was like some suppressing shackle had been unlocked. Jesse just laughed as he held my hand in his.

Gina was already briefed—to an extent—on Jesse and his…history, and she was all totally psyched to meet an "ex-dead guy" as she put it as I spoke to her on the phone. And in a near frenzy, she asked me what she should wear to meet him. Did I really blame her? She didn't leave Jesse with the best impression when she left. Example A: the nail-polished stained clothes. Some advice? Don't dis Spike in front of Jesse.

Checking in, waiting, and boarding the plane was a slight blur. I really only focused when we were a few hundred feet in the air. I started to register my surroundings. The usual crowd was on the plane—old couples going for vacation, young kids who were playing gaming systems, your average business man fooling around with his laptop or briefcase, and the stunningly beautiful girl sitting somewhere discreet, seemingly glowing with happiness.

My gaze stopped on the girl. She wasn't happy, she was in near hysterics. Muffled sobs were coming from her lips and her eyes were filled to the brink with tears. But she was still glowing.

"Oh come _on_!" I said a little too loudly. A flight attendant shot me a dirty look as she went back to refilling a man's drink.

"What is it, _Queirda_?" Jesse asked me with evident concern for my mental well-being. I shook my head and grabbed the pen he was using to put finishing touches on a term paper with.

_Check out the crying blondie in the next row_

I scrawled on my napkin. I was only too lucky that Jesse had been gifted like me. He cast a small glance at the hysterical girl who was only growing louder by the minute. "¿Ahora de todas las veces?" he muttered to himself as he looked at the ceiling. "Go talk to her," he said. Of course he would say that. I had to be polite to the crazy spirits that hung out on airplanes who were in hysterics.

"How?" I muttered back. "There's a guy next to her. I'm not going over there. He's going to think I'm insane."

"Tell her to go to the bathroom and follow her there," he offered as he scratched out a word on the paper lying in front of him.

"Have you ever _been_ in one of these bathrooms?" I asked disbelieving. I already knew the answer, but I continued. "You're lucky if you can get in there at all!"

"You're, going to have to try," he said softly. I knew he was trying to be kind, but I _really_ didn't want to deal with this during my vacation.

"_Fine_," I grumbled as I unbuckled my seatbelt. I pretended to knock over a magazine I brought with me so I could pick it up. While I was bent over, I pulled lightly on the now screaming blonde girl. She stopped at once.

"You…you can see me?" she asked, wide-eyed. I nodded once as I walked to the bathroom. She got my message because she walked along with me.

Once we were in the safe, but small, confines of the bathroom, I settled myself there. I felt that it would take a while because her face seemed filled with questions. I jumped up onto the counter as she leaned against the wall.

"Okay, so, I'm sure you've already heard about people like me from where ever you came from. I'm a mediator. I can see and talk to ghosts, like you. Now let me say this. You're dead. I can't change that. But, I can get you to a better place than this. You're still here 'cause you got a problem. So…spill it. What's bugging you so much?" I said quickly. I didn't want to stay in here _too_ long.

"My boyfriend," she choked out. "He…he…"

"Killed you?" I offered. She looked at me like I slapped her.

"Of course not! Alex would never do that! He's…planning on going out with someone else. _Today_. And he can't do that! He promised he would love me forever. _Forever_. I know he's going to regret it one day. Please help him," she pleaded. I looked her over once. Maybe she _was_ crazy.

"Does he live in New York?" I asked slowly. She nodded her head vigorously.

"I can take you there when we land," she told me eagerly. I looked down. I was going to kill Jesse for this.

"Now look…" I paused.

"Lindsay."

"Now look, Lindsay. I'm kind of here with _my_ boyfriend," I said. So, I'll do what I can, but this is kind of vacation time for me, okay? So, I can't go and follow him to Jersey or whatever, okay?" I verified.

"That's totally fine," she said. "I just need a little help, is all," she said. "I can take the rest from there. Trust me," she said confidently. "But does your boyfriend…you know…_know_?" she asked.

"What, Jesse?" I asked. "He used to be one. But, I'm not telling the story now. I need to get out of here. You can come…sit with us if you want," I offered unwillingly. Jesse was so getting it.

"Really?" Lindsay asked me excitedly.

"Come on," I muttered as I slid through the doors and back to my seat.

"Wait, a second," Lindsay said. "What's your name?"

"Susannah Simon," I muttered back. And then all hell broke loose.

**A/N: So? What do you think? Please rate and review because this one has potential! I stayed up until midnight for this to make it long, so I must love you! Oh, BTW to all of my "Love Me Dead" readers: currently working on Chapter 10! Sorry, I've been preoccupied. Love you!**

**-Daisy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- Shadowland**

_Wait, I'm wrong  
Should have done better than this  
Please, I'll be strong  
I'm finding it hard to resist  
So show me what I'm looking for  
Save me, I'm lost  
Oh lord, I've been waiting for you  
I'll pay any cost  
Save me from being confused  
Show me what I'm looking for_

Show Me What I'm Looking For- Carolina Liar

Suze's POV

I looked at Lindsay with growing fear in my eyes. "What the hell is your problem?" I whispered frantically to her. Her blonde hair was swaying all around her head, making it look like she had a halo. Her eyes looked at me with intense hate and one hand was outstretched to me, around me neck region.

"Susannah Simon," she said in a voice not unlike the one in the exorcist. "You will _pay_!"

"For what?!" I whispered. As I said this, the plane started to shake.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the pilot said in a professional voice over the intercom. "We are experiencing slight turbulence. Please put on your seat belts." I quickly sat down in my seat, but this was not any turbulence. The shaking only grew more rapid and Lindsay was now smiling in contentment.

I realized what was happening a little too late. The last thing I registered before I took action was Lindsay's eyes going back into her head while her hand grew closer to my neck and Jesse blocking me before she could do anything.

I gasped as he knocked her hand away and put his arms up protectively in front of me. "¿Usted quiere realmente hacerme frente?" he asked Lindsay in his silky voice. Even under the pretenses, I could still appreciate his voice. I didn't bother if people were looking at me. All they would see was me falling over.

I quickly grabbed Jesse's arm and pulled him out of the way as gently as I could. "Susannah! No!" he yelled as I successfully secured a hand on Lindsay's arm. Don't get me wrong. I mean, she certainly _tried_ to fight me off. But I guess I was so fed up with ghosts at the moment that I ignored her.

"Come on," I whispered as I thought of that one place where my nightmares had once resided. "Come on."

But I could now feel a warm hand on my shoulder. But it was too late, I was already shifting. My eyes snapped open, desperately hoping that I wasn't about to suck out someone's soul.

"You're not losing me that easily," Jesse said in with a half smile. I couldn't say anything right then, just desperately hoping he wasn't just a mediator, but something more. A shifter. If he wasn't, his soul would truly be lost. And so would I.

_Please, please, please_. I chanted again and again in my head as I saw we were there. He certainly wasn't glowing in the way that I thought he would. I quickly thanked the heavens for this as I quickly grabbed him and hugged him tight.

"_Queirda_," he whispered as he kissed the top of my head. "I would prefer if you didn't try to scare me like that again."

I laughed once without humor as I buried my face into his shirt. I stood there for a long moment, perfectly content in his arms until I heard a cough. Then another.

I turned around and saw Lindsay standing a good twenty yards away from us. Tears were falling from her face, even if she was still trying to maintain her "tough" act. I sighed as I reluctantly pulled away from Jesse to go to Lindsay.

"What is your problem?" I asked her. "You do realize that you almost crashed the plane, right? There were at least a hundred people on that flight. That's a hundred lives lost."

"But you don't understand! You're _Susannah Simon_. _You're_ the girl!" Lindsay shouted at me. Her hands were now on my shoulders, giving me a little shake. I could see Jesse standing a good five yards away, ready to intervene if anything happened. But other than that, he was perfectly content with me taking control.

"What girl? The one who you were talking about stealing your boyfriend? Oh, no, missy. I'm not meeting any guy today. I have a _boyfriend_. Okay? A _boyfriend_," I said. I had no such plans to meet any sort of guy today, or any day. Well, besides Jesse.

"No! Alex! My boyfriend! He said he was going to see Susannah Simon today!" she wailed.

"Lady, I don't know anyone by the name of Alex!" I argued. I really didn't. If he lived in New York, then I knew I didn't know anyone named Alex. I only hung out with Gina, after all. "Listen, after I get settled in and everything, you can take me to him. But I assure you, I don't return any feelings for your Alex, okay?"

These words calmed her by a considerable amount. Her stance relaxed and her hold on my shoulders weakened. "Can we go back?" she asked me as she looked around.

I nodded as I grabbed her. I motioned for Jesse to come, too. His arm encircled my waist and his cheek rested on the top of my head.

"Your best one yet," he said. About mediating, I think. I just hummed in reply as I pictured the uncomfortable fabric of the airplane seats and the bright fluorescent lights hanging overhead.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't exactly sure what was happening. I could only feel a warm sensation flooding into me from my mouth and my heart reacting spastically. What was happening? I moaned in discomfort and I looked up.

Someone was giving me CPR. There was only one thing I could think of at that moment.

_Ew_.

Someone that I didn't know was putting his tongue in my mouth on an airplane. And I was apparently on the floor. "Please get off me," I groaned as I tried to sit up. My head was going through the usual pounding headache.

Lindsay was looking at me with frightful eyes. Where was Jesse? "Jesse?" I whispered. He was slouched in a chair, still not conscious. "Jesse," I repeated as I tried to climb up to him.

"Miss, you need to sit down," a man said as he tried to push my shoulder back. I didn't respond to him. I could only say, speak, and feel Jesse. When I finally reached him, I cradled his face in my hands. Like clockwork, his eyes opened up and he looked at me with his unbelievably brown eyes.

"You're okay," I murmured. He laughed a little before he started to cough.

"I can take care of myself," he said as he kissed me lightly on the lips. Lindsay was now moaning in defeat. I realized that she could have experienced something like this before. No, not sitting on an airplane while people gave you CPR and having a terrible headache from shifting. But sitting with your loved one while you expressed your love for each other, even in small ways.

"Are you okay?" the man that saved me asked. He was probably in his mid-thirties. He was the guy that was fooling around with his briefcase before.

"Never been better," Jesse and I replied at the same time. And essentially, that was true. Besides my killer headache, I was with Jesse. And that was all I needed.

"If you're sure," The man said as he helped us both into our seats. Lindsay was nowhere to be found and I was okay with that.

"Let's never do that again," Jesse said. I looked at him then. His full lips were turned into a heartbreaking smile. His eyes showed his unconditional love for me. And his hand held mine tight. I got close enough to him that both our foreheads were touching.

"Never," I said as the plane descended to the impossible city of New York. But how many impossible chances would there be when I got there?

**A/N: Okay, so this is relatively new, I know. But I'm kind of worried about it. I mean, is it ok? Just please rate and review. I don't really want to disappoint. So, please review! Love ya!**

**-Daisy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- Can You Say "Brotherly love"?**

_In the end everyone ends up alone  
Losing her, the only one whose ever known  
Who I am, who I'm not, who I want to be  
No way to know how long she will be next to me_

You Found Me- The Fray

Suze's POV

When the pilot finally called for us to take off our seatbelts, I was too relieved. The flight panic was now over. Now only crazy and unpredictable New York awaited. Along with a very crazy and unpredictable Gina. She told me that she would get a total makeover just for this. But before I saw her, I saw the terminal. It was dirty. There was graffiti. People were yelling and were grumpy. I was _home_. Suddenly, I saw a brown blob jumping around the crowd. It took me a second to realize it was Gina.

She wore dark skinny jeans with black converse. A blue Ed Hardy t-shirt was paired with a beaded black and white necklace, bangles, and a large, black ring. But I saved her head for last. Her hair! It was slightly curled and was a light chocolate-y brown.

"G!" I yelled as I started jumping up and down with her. "Look at you! What did you do to your hair?"

"You don't like it?" she asked me. I just laughed at her. Of course she looked great. She had an unbelievable talent for that.

"I love it! I can't believe I'm back!" I said as I hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're here! Things have been so crazy lately! Now I'm with this new guy named Jack. I swear he is the sweetest guy ever! And how we met? Awesome!" she ranted on without taking a breath. I saw Jesse go to the luggage carousel where he looked for our luggage and the intricate parts that made the carousel go around. I loved that look he was thinking.

I listened to Gina's story with some interest, but in truth, I was drained. Physically and emotionally. I felt like I could sleep for a few good hours. Stupid jet lag….

"…but really, Alex introduced me. They were in the same dorm and—" I cut Gina off.

"Wait, who introduced you?" I asked with great care. She looked at me like I was high.

"_Alex_," she said with emphasis. "My brother?" Luckily Jesse had returned with our bags right then, so he could think for me. I was utterly speechless.

"Oh," Gina said, ignoring me. "I'm Gina. I've heard so much about you! Was it true that…you know," she added with a whisper. How could I have forgotten? All those times when Gina and I were together, so were her brothers! But Alex was the oldest, so we rarely ever saw him.

"Yes," Jesse answered politely. "I'm Jesse. Nice to meet you." I shot Jesse a panicked look that I hoped Gina wouldn't see. No dice.

"What?" Gina asked worried. "What is it?" I took Gina's arm and lead her through the automatic doors.

"G, we have a slight problem," I started.

***

"I can't believe Lindsay is here," Gina muttered. She was looking all over living room for a sign that she was here. "She was so nice." Lindsay was indeed there. She kept on looking at Gina blankly, as if she were some complex trigonometry problem that no one would ever figure out.

Gina's house was empty, due to her parents' jobs and her brothers' active social lives. But we got no luck. There was a message on Gina's phone that Alex was coming over for dinner. Jesse didn't really say much. He was quiet. But not bored quiet, but offended and _pissed_ quiet. He didn't leave my side for a second and it looked like he would bite someone's head off if they got too close. Gentleman my butt. Then again, I would be crazy jealous, too. I actually thought it was fairly sweet.

"What is he thinking? What is he thinking?" Lindsay kept on whispering to herself. She sat in a chair in the far corner of the living room. The TV was on, but no one was watching.

In that moment, I truly felt sorry for her. Here I was, sitting with one of my best friends and the love of my life—I was aware of the love of my life because that certain _love_ was cutting off my circulation from his shaking grip—while she was still invisible and her boyfriend was hitting on me.

Truthfully, my memories of Alex were a bit iffy. All I remember was that he had brown hair, blue eyes, and tan (well, as tan as you could be in New York). As I looked up, I saw that Lindsay was still staring at Gina. With jealousy, maybe? So I almost felt sorry for her when I asked my question.

_Almost._

"Lindsay, how did you die?"

"What?" she responded slowly. She didn't wait for me to repeat my question. She put up a hand and drew a deep breath. "I was strangled to death. I still remember. I was standing next to my car alone. Alex ran into his house to grab his wallet. He was taking me to this really expensive new restaurant." I looked at Lindsay. She wore a light green dress with a pleated skirt and there was a jewel accented sash around the midsection and black high heels that were more likely L.A.M.B. All in all, expensive. "Then, out of no where, someone pulled me aside and put a plastic bag over my head and held it there," Lindsay continued. " All of a sudden, I was watching myself die. I never saw who my killer was, but two minutes later, Alex came back out. I rode with him all the way to the hospital. You'll never know how much time you'll have," she told me with a pointed look. Yeah, I _definitely_ understood her.

"What's happening?" Gina whispered to me anxiously. I just shook my head.

"Drama," I replied. I sat up and stretched my hands over my head. Jesse stood up, too. He looked cute playing bodyguard. "Relax," I said, while putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"That's probably a good idea," he said as he sat back down. I bent down and kissed the nape of his neck, feeling him tense beside me.

"Thanks again for letting us stay here, G" I said as I passed her.

"No problem," she muttered, her eyes still scanning the room for a trace of Lindsay. She couldn't see, but Lindsay patted Gina's hand.

***

"What do I wear?" I said to myself over and over again. I had no such feelings for Alex, but I was paranoid with first impressions. I stood there for two more minutes with my towel wrapped around my body. Curse you, indescision!

My door knob then clicked. I turned around to find a stunned Jesse standing in the door way.

"Sorry," Jesse mumbled as soon as he realized that I was in a towel. He hastily turned his head to the other wall, but I could see his eyes flashing in my direction. It was as if I could see the visible war raging in his head from his moral standards to his hormones. I almost started to laugh. "I'll go."

"No, no," It's fine. I'm just about to change, anyway," I said as I grabbed the outfit on the left. It was a Carmen Marc Valvo. I absolutely loved it. And not just because I got it on half price, but because it was violet, beaded, and a halter dress. "Finished!" I called out as I slipped on my Stuart Weitzman heels. I turned around, showing off my evening wear. Jesse laughed out loud and pulled me into his embrace. It did me good to hear his laugh, some of his tension drained away.

But, of course, Jesse outdid me. He looked great in his navy button-up shirt and slacks. Instead of eating in, Gina was taking us out. And apparently, to that really expensive restaurant that Alex and Lindsay were going to go to. And who would be accompanying us? Why, Gina, Alex, Jack, and Lindsay of course! Oh, happy day….

"I love you," he whispered into my hair. I felt so at ease there, that I didn't even mind that he was crushing my curls that took me so painstakingly long for me to perfect.

"I love you more," I retorted as I kissed him lightly on the lips. But as I was about to pull away, his arms tightened around me, forcing me back into him again. Our kiss went deeper, until I could feel it all the way down into my toes. I knew that I should have been relishing this moment—Jesse was still on the respecting women thing, so it wasn't like I got this often—but I thought something felt…_off_. I reluctantly pulled my lips away from his.

"What?" Jesse demanded as he pulled me against him again.

"Jesse," I said, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. _God_, he smelt good. "What's wrong?"

At this, he sighed and sat down on the bed. I followed him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"What is it?" I asked him again, as I looked up at his face. The muscles in his jaw were visibly tightened and was his skin paler than usual?

"I'm just—" Jesse started. He sighed angrily and paced around the room. He ran his fingers through his hair, at a loss for words. I blinked my eyes furiously. I needed to think rationally, and not daydream, especially with his scent in the air.

"Would it be crazy if I said I was _jealous_?" He asked me. "Of course I have seen men looking at you, Susannah. Don't think for one minute I haven't noticed.

"But this feels different. Like, I want to strangle him and bury him so no one finds the remains, even though I haven't met him.

"It's a sin," I muttered, playing with my fingers. I was too nervous to look up. Honestly, I _haven't _noticed the way guys look at me. I was just plain old Suze.

"What?" he asked me, anger still in his voice. I looked up and his _eyes_! There was something buried underneath there, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe I was just being paranoid….

"It's a sin," I repeated. "Envy, I mean."

He sighed and crouched down until he was eye level with me. He sat there for a moment, his head cocked to the side, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.

He laughed and sat up. "You're just one little mystery, aren't you?" he asked. What a mood swing. But I'd take it. He put his lips to my cheek. "I'm sorry I lost my temper," he whispered into my ear, sending tingles down my spine.

I hooked my hand through his, and we walked out the door.

**A/N: *GASP!* "DAISY UPDATED?!" Yeah…sorry for not updating anything in forever and a day. But! I did now. So, I tried to make it long. But that wasn't necessarily working well because I have summer-itis. I just got out today. I really hoped you liked this chapter. So, just in case you were curious, below is the link for Lindsay's dress and Suze's dress. Please R&R!**

**-Daisy**

**SUZE:**

.?itemId=prod45730057&parentId=cat276901&masterId=cat265908&index=12&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat265908cat276901

**LINDSAY:**

.?Catalog=Celebration%20Gallery&ProductID=m-26M21-TAFF(VWOW%20Bridesmaids%20Celebration)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- The "New" Paul**

_So tell me this irony, I can't be the one_

_Say I'm done, I'm out, I'm running with a gun._

_To guide me back home,_

_To guide me back home._

_I'll take you down with me_

Ink Lasts Longer- Don't Mind Me This Time

Suze's POV

"So, what do you think?" Gina practically yelled as she stepped out from her bedroom door. There wasn't much of an audience. Just me and Jesse. Lindsay took off, probably stalking Alex until he met us at the restaurant.

"Is that…" I said, unable to finish my sentence. Gina crossed her arms to strike a pose. The dress was turquoise with metal buttons enveloping it. The dress itself wasn't short, but with Gina's incredibly long legs, it looked stunning. And…were my eyes deceiving me? Black, peep-toe Jimmy Choo's?! "No!" I cried.

"Yes!" Gina squealed. "I'm guilty! Jack bought them for me! Isn't he _fabulous_?" she asked me, jumping up and down.

"The dress…" I mumbled, awestruck. "Is that Nanette Lepore?" Gina nodded her head aggressively. I heard Jesse mutter something that sounded an awful lot like "women". But…wow. Nanette Lepore didn't come cheap. On average, her dresses were three hundred and fifty a pop. Not to mention Jimmy Choo's (Gina's pair looked around six hundred). "How rich is Jack exactly?" I asked rhetorically and examined the rest of Gina's look.

Her hair was piled on her head—a look that I _swore_ I saw in Cosmo last month—and she was holding a black clutch. I hesitantly walked over to her and touched it. "Ohmygawd," my words slurred. "Is this—" I said before I got cut-off by an ecstatic Gina.

"Yes! Fendi! Jack got it for me, too!" she cried. Well…damn. Where was he when I was living in New York? But of course I would never leave Jesse. He was _mine_. "Wait, wait, wait," Gina said as she examined my ensemble. "Carmen Mark Valvo? Dang, girl! Why didn't you get me one?" she joked.

"Well, don't worry. I'm sure _Jack _will get one for you for your one-month anniversary, I'm sure," I teased as I nudged her shoulder. "Well, come on. If we're late for our reservations, we'll be stuck eating at McDonald's."

"Yeah, yeah," Gina said. "Jean-Georges is supposed to be _fabulous_." The said-restaurant apparently was one of the hottest places to eat in New York. Also one of the most expensive since it was running at eighty-five bucks a plate. But it was cool because Jack was paying. I didn't feel the least bit guilty, either. His father owned some high-class law firm that had several offices around the globe. In other words, he was a millionaire. So, no. I was not guilty.

Jesse was strangely quiet through the whole taxi ride. I would have thought that he would have been fascinated by the city lights. Instead, he sat in stony silence all the way to Jean-Georges, his glare intensifying with every increase on the cab fare. He only spoke once through the whole thirty-minute ride. He said something about the world being abducted by "Paul clones" and he spoke the rest in Spanish.

***

Jean-Georges _was_ fabulous. Its crème colored theme with matching furniture was beautiful. It was also beautiful because we got a window seat that overlooked the greater part of New York. So, there we were, me, Jesse, and Gina, sitting at that amazing table, in that amazing restaurant, waiting for Gina's amazing boyfriend and her amazing brother to come while I was sitting with my amazing boyfriend who was not so amazed with the fact that Alex was coming.

About five minutes later, I saw someone who was tall and blonde with piercing gray eyes talk to our server. He smiled at her and gave her something. Seconds later, he started heading towards our table. He had prominent cheekbones, pale, and had nice, full lips. He wore a black suit—probably expensive—with a green tie. For some reason, I could never convince Jesse to wear a tie. He gave me some excuse of it being to "constricting". When Gina saw him coming, she squealed and jumped out of her seat to meet him. The man greeted her in a tight hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Suze, oh my God, Suze, this is Jack. Jack, this is the extraordinary Susannah Simon that I was telling you about.

"How do you do?" I asked shyly as I looked quickly up at Gina, who was beaming.

"Ah, so you're Suze. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said as he picked up my hand and kissed it. Jesse instantly put his hand around my shoulder and his hand on my own, in a cute possessive way.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Jack, this is Jesse, Suze's boyfriend," Gina added.

"Oh, hello there," Jack said with a smile. "Jack Kaiser. Sorry I'm late. I got held up in a meeting with my father's company."

"Oh, don't worry about it," I insisted. I laid my head on Jesse's shoulder and took a sip of the Coke that I had ordered.

"Hey, Jackie, where's Alex?" Gina asked while sliding over in her seat so Jack could sit down.

"Oh, he's coming. He was just making a quick call. Again, I'm sorry we were late. My father's associates could keep anyone waiting for anything," Jack said with a smile. Did that mean Alex worked for Jack's father, too? Well, I guess it made sense since they were good friends.

"Ohmygawd, _Alex!"_ I heard Gina suddenly screech. This made me jump up a little, almost spilling my Coke in the process. Thankfully, Jesse held the glass and rubbed soothing circles on my forearm. I dared to look a little to my right, and immediately regretted it. Alex was walking this way. And for some reason, I couldn't look away.

His brown, curly hair wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. His blue eyes seemed to be staring only at me, and they vaguely reminded me of Paul's. Except for the hidden lust and evil, of course. He wore an outfit similar to Jack's, but he wore a blue tie to bring out his eyes. He had a tan, one that I could never even accomplish, and I lived in California. He was _hott_.

And frankly, that scared me. So what did I do? I took a big swig of my Coke and settled down in my seat for a long night. With a very tense Jesse by my side. Oh, well. He was guard dog for the next couple of weeks.

"Hey, everyone. Sorry we're late," A raspy voice said from behind me. Now, when I say _raspy_, it's more like send-shivers-down-my-spine raspy. Which it precisely did. "Hey, Gina, introduce me, will ya?"

"Oh, sorry. Suze, Jesse, this is Alex. Alex, this is Suze and Jesse. Well, of course you know Suze, right? Anyway, sit, sit," Gina said with a tad too much enthusiasm.

"Boyfriend, huh?" Alex said as he moved to sit beside Jack. Suddenly, Lindsay appeared, looking murderous at me. "Well, nice to meet you James."

"It's Jesse," Jesse said icily. "My name is not James, it's Jesse." Almost instantly, Lindsay started screaming. Loud enough to break any glass cup. Jesse and I winced in unison as we looked down at our empty bread plates.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Lindsay wailed as I casually scratched my ear. "HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO LIKE YOU! WHY CAN'T HE SEE ME? CAN'T HE FEEL _ANYTHING_?" And then she disappeared. But I had a nagging feeling that she would be back.

"So, Jesse, what do you do for a living?" Jack asked as he put his arm around Gina.

"I'm studying to be a doctor," Jesse replied icily. I nudged his knee. He could at least be polite.

"Really? Where are you studying at?" Alex asked, suddenly interested.

"Stanford just gave me a scholarship," Jesse said angrily. I nudged him harder this time. He looked at me briefly with fire in his eyes. I tried to signal to him to calm down, but he turned away before I could.

"Hello, my name is Monica and I will be your server today," a pretty blonde girl said. Her hair was long and her skin pale. She wore a smile on her face like she actually cared what we ordered. But the name Monica pulled on my memory from somewhere.

"Ohmigawd! MONICA! It's Gina! Suze, you remember Monica, right? From our old high school? Well, you transferred and so did Monica, but yeah!" Gina says excitedly.

That was right. Monica was basically the top socialite of the school. She knew everyone, got along with everyone, and basically dated everyone.

"Oh, hey!" Monica says as she notices me and Gina. "I didn't even recognize you guys. "How have you been?" she asks with a tad too much enthusiasm.

"Good enough," I reply as she takes everyone's orders.

**A/N: So, what did you guys think? I do have to warn you though: I do write more and update faster if I get reviews, so please review! Trust me, the plot thickens MORE!**

**-Daisy**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- Perks and Flirts**

_Welcome to the new dark ages  
I hope you're living right  
These are the new dark ages  
And the world might end tonight_

Bad Religion- New Dark Ages

Suze's POV

"Ah, I'm so full," Jack comments as he pushes away his plate. And full we were. We each had three dishes. I chose sea scallops, halibut, and parmesan-crusted chicken. It was _delicious_. And expensive. About _ninety-five dollars_ expensive.

"You guys enjoy it?" Monica asks as she takes all of our plates with one hand. Impressive. We all nod in agreement as we lean back in our seats. Lindsay was hovering behind Alex, whispering things in his ear that we couldn't hear. But she kept shooting looks at me, so I wasn't sure that I wanted to.

"Check, please!" Jack calls out as he sees Monica passing our table. She nods with a smile (what's up with the smiles?!) and briskly walked away with three plates on her left arm.

"Did you enjoy your dinner, Suze?" Alex asks as he takes a sip of his water.

"It was excellent," I say as I look at Jesse out of the corner of my eye. He casually takes out my hand from under the table and puts on top of the table, our hands entwined. Alex and Jesse have been going off all night with Alex saying something to me, and then Jesse would do something that would show he was evidently with me.

"That's good. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it," Jack says as he puts his arm around Gina. When Monica comes back, Jack quickly swipes out his credit card and hands the bill back without even looking at it.

"Hey, Suze?" Gina asks as I take a sip of my Coke. This was my "stress ball" for the night: drinking Coke. Monica must have already refilled my glass at least four times. I nod in response since my mouth was filled.

"I'm getting married!" she blurts out as soon as I swallow my Coke. I then started to choke, all of the air escaping from my lungs. _What?!_ Jesse immediately started to pat my back, encouraging to drink some water when my coughing fit died down. I looked up at Gina. She was smiling like a fool…laughing even.

"_What_ _did you say_?" I dared to ask again. When I said this, Gina started laughing hysterically for a very long time. Her face was bright red and tears were streaming down her face. Good thing she wore waterproof mascara.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I just wanted to see what you would do!" Gina chokes out in fits of laughter. I settle back into my seat with a scowl on my face. I almost choked to death because of a _joke_? Jesse started to whisper words of comfort into my hair and as I looked back up to glare at Gina, I saw that Jack wasn't laughing. He had a distant look in his eye, that was aimed at the direction of the door. I looked over to see what he was looking at, but my view was blocked by Monica who was returning Jack's credit card.

"Here you go," Monica says pleasantly. "Have a good night!" she adds as she walks away. By that time, Jack had stopped looking at the door and we were up and on our way.

/=|=\

"That wasn't too bad, was it?" Gina asks me as we both walk into our room. When we left the restaurant, we all said our good-byes and as Alex leaned in to hug me, Jesse appeared behind me, resting his hands on my shoulder. Alex then smoothly dropped his other hand and shook my hand with his. The rest was kind of a blur since Jesse kissed me immediately after that, enough to make me swoon.

I nodded my head in agreement. All in all, the night was livable. Jack and Alex went to their apartment complex while Jesse, Gina, and I went back to Gina's house. Before we left for the restaurant, I told her what happened with Lindsay on the plane, so she freaked out a little when I told her that she was in the restaurant with us.

"_What do you mean she was there_?" Gina panicked. After several minutes of assurances on my part that she did nothing harmful, she relaxed. "How did you keep up with this for all these years? I can barely make it a day. Anyway, you know what we should do tomorrow?" Gina says all in one breath. Before I have time to voice my answer, she yells out "SHOPPING!" I saw Jesse out of the corner of my eye shake his head and head into his bedroom.

"Sounds great," I said, with as much enthusiasm I could muster. For the next few hours, Gina and I watched movies, gossiped, did our nails, and hung out like we used to. It was only until Gina started to yawn that I realized that I gained a couple of hours from California time.

"Hey, I'm gonna get to bed, okay?" I say as I stand up from the floor and stretch. Gina just pushed her hand as if she were dismissing me as I walked into Jesse's bedroom. It was only ten in California time, but Jesse was already fast asleep. I laughed quietly as I pushed Jesse's hair back and kissed him on the forehead.

=O0O=

"Wake up…wake up….WAKE UP!" someone yelled in my ear. I woke up with a start. I looked around my room to see who was interrupting my sleep in the middle of the night. But as my eyes focused, I realized that it wasn't night. Sunshine—though dim—was shining through my window. I scanned my room, looking for the culprit who disturbed my sleep. Gina was standing in the door way with a coffee mug in her hand, fully dressed.

Again, a new addition to her closet. She wore a blue, gray, and white tie-dye print tank top that, of course, was probably designer. With it, she wore black skinny jeans, some expensive-looking black flats, and an unmistakable, black Juicy shoulder bag. Compliments of Jack, obviously.

I ran my hands through my hair, still groggy from sleep. "What?" I asked grumpily. Gina took a sip of her coffee before responding.

"I thought you said we were going to go shopping," Gina said as I groaned and pressed my face into my pillow. Me and my promises. _Come on, Suze! Shopping!_ A voice inside me cried. With a sigh, I threw the covers off me and sat up. "Yay!" Gina squealed as she ran out of the room to give me some privacy.

I slowly got up and out of my bed as I thought about what to wear. I plucked out my Rock and Republic jeans that my mom bought me for my birthday and some Vince sequined tank top that I bought on sale. I slipped on my Tory Burch flats that I bought with my Pebble Beach money this summer and my new, white Marc Jacobs hobo bag. For someone who just woke up, I could dress well. As I put my stash of shopping money inside my wallet, I saw something begin to shimmer out of the corner of my eye.

"What do you want, Lindsay?" I asked absently as I put my wallet back into my bag. I had a feeling that I would be shopping for quite a while.

"How did you know it was me?" Lindsay asked. I shrugged as I headed out the door. But before I could, she put out her hand to stop me. "What?" I asked.

"Where are you going?" she asked me suspiciously. She eyed over my outfit, then met my eyes.

"Shopping," I responded simply as I tried again to go through the door. Lindsay nodded as she followed me out. "New outfit?" I asked Gina as I went to pour myself a cup of coffee. She waved her hand as if to dismiss the whole concept.

"You know, just a little of this and a little of that," she responded as I raised an eyebrow. "Oh all right! It's a little bit of 32 flavors, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and Prada. Jack, again. I just _love_ him," Gina sighed as I took another sip of my coffee. To my right, I saw Lindsay roll her eyes.

"So…where are we headed today?" I asked Gina as leaned against the kitchen counter. Gina thought about this for a moment.

"Well, I was wondering about that…but, I decided. And I think that when we go back to school, we should have a kick-ass wardrobe. So, I decided, why not Saks?" Gina said.

"I'm up for it," I responded as I finished the remaining drops of my coffee. At that, Jesse walked into the room in his pajamas and robe. "Nice hair," I laughed as he yawned.

Jesse chose to ignore that as he asked, "Where are you guys going?"

"Out," Gina said hurriedly as she shoved me through the door. "There's coffee if you want it!"

And at that, we were on our way shopping.

**A/N: So?! How did you guys like it? I tried to make it long…but, please rate and review. I was so tired when I made this one, but I pulled through for you guys! But I'm not totally sure if it all made sense…ANYWAY! Please, please, please, **_**please**_**, rate and review! Oh! And, about the links for the outfits! Go on my profile to find them. If you want me to show you any other outfits from this story, PM or review to tell me. **

**-Daisy**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- Demons and Dresses**

_Can't stop the spirits when they need you  
This life is more than just a read through_

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Can't Stop

Suze's POV

Even though I've been to Saks Fifth Avenue before, it still doesn't mean I wasn't awestruck when I entered the building. I was utterly speechless, wondering how there could be so many things waiting to be purchased. But, again, this was New York. Anything was possible here. I looked around, suddenly excited about my new wardrobe possibilities. But where to look first?

As if she read my mind, Gina said, "Bags?" Since I was speechless still, I just nodded. As we made our way toward the elevator, I double-checked the amount of money in my wallet. My mom had given my five hundred dollars to spend (even though I told her it was too much) and I had eight hundred dollars left over from my Pebble Beach baby-sitting money. Rich people tipped generously, which I was happy for. Anyway, I felt that I was going to have a pretty good time today.

As the elevator doors opened, revealing the floor, Gina and I were awestruck again, as our feminine shopping sides allowed. There were so many purses and so little time! We got off the elevator, running in our own separate directions, determined to buy our own happiness.

)-|-(

About an hour and a half later, Gina and I met up again, each of us finding a brand new purse, shoes, jeans, tops, and etc. I was so happy with my finds, especially my new Elizabeth and James top that Kelly and Debbie would die for…but I wouldn't want that, now would I? They would never leave me alone then. As ghosts, I mean. As Gina and I stepped into the elevator, I suddenly had a gut feeling to _run_. And when you're a mediator and you have gut feelings, you tend to trust them. I quickly stepped back from the elevator and turned to make my way back near the cosmetics, where the overwhelming smell of perfume lurked. As I did so, my body collided with another's. It was obviously a guy, and quite a tall one at that since I only came up to his chin. He was probably rich, too, since he wore a sweater that felt like cashmere.

"Sorry," I began to mutter before I looked up to see who I hit. When I did, I swear I almost started to choke on my own breath. It was Paul, looking smug and handsome in that cashmere sweater of his. And here's the big shocker: behind him was Alex. Oh, was Jesse going to be happy.

"What are _you _doing here?" I asked while glaring at Paul with all the hate I could muster. I moved closer to Gina's assumed position so I could grab her hand and run out of there when the opportunity presented itself. He just smirked as he stepped closer to me, un-phasedby my hostility towards him. Gina, since seeing Alex, was too preoccupied with talking to him to notice what enmity was brewing inside me towards Paul. Last year, at the Winter Formal, we said our peaces. Yeah, and that may have held up for a few months, but once he dumped Kelly's sorry butt, he was right back on me again…much to Jesse's dismay.

"Why, Suze! I was just taking a little vacation in the Big Apple. You know, city lights and all that," Paul said sarcastically. I quickly scanned the current situation, with dread rising in my stomach as I realized there was no escape.

I scoffed at his statement as I looked over at Gina, trying to maintain my calm. The greetings were over between her and Alex, so she was now looking quizzically at me. While Alex was…well, just looking at me, with a somehow familiar glint in his eye. It was slightly disturbing. I did have to admit that he was looking pretty good in his navy blue t-shirt and jeans. Maybe a little too good….I looked up at the elevator, wondering how long it would take for it to open. That would be my only shot.

"Hey, Suze," Alex says as he edged closer to me. But right as he was about to touch me, the elevator let out a small _ding_ indicating that the doors were opening. I ran like a bat out of hell, with Gina trailing behind me, asking me what happened. But I couldn't stop running now, or I would be dead. I didn't even know if I was speaking figuratively or literally.

I pressed the "Door Close" button as fast as I could and looked up to see if Alex and Paul were pursuing. The scary part was, they weren't there anymore.

=-=-=

"What was that about?" Gina asks me as we run out of the front doors and onto the street. I decide to ignore her and run to the curb, trying to hail a cab. Finally, one pulled up as I pushed Gina in. I told the driver Gina's address as I looked out my window, checking the area because that gut feeling told me to. Instead, I was greeted with an unnerving sight: Paul was standing on the curb, just staring at me, with an evil smile on his lips as Alex stood beside him. What the hell had Lindsay gotten me into?

I hastily paid the driver as he stopped outside of Gina's house. I ran in, still feeling scared and nervous. How did Paul even find me, anyway? As I stepped inside, I see Jesse sitting at the counter, reading one of his new books on medicine and theories. Upon hearing the door slam, he exited the kitchen to come to greet us, but stopped short when he saw my expression. "What's wrong, Susannah?" he asked me as he put his head in my hair. I shook my head as I relished being held in his strong embrace, feeling as though no one could ever hurt me, hurt us. I really hope that it would stay that way.

"Paul and Alex…" I rasped out as Jesse's hold on me tightened. Somehow, I thought that explaining it to him might not be the best thing in the world to do. With a sigh, I started my explanation while Gina listened, attempting to discover my earlier fright today. Oh why, why, couldn't a mediator's life just be simple for once?

**A/N: Yeah…I know…please don't hate me. It's been, what, four months? Yes, you are entitled to hate me with every fiber of your being. But I wrote this for you guys because I felt guilty! And no, I didn't die, I have actually taken an interest in an anime named "InuYasha" and have become quite absorbed in that. So…I apologize. Working on next chapter, love you lots, I apologize profusely, yadda, yadda, yadda. Peace!**

**-Daisy**


	7. UPDATE

Update: after two years of absolutely no free time, I'm editing and reposting.


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